UA&P did not make ‘genuine’ counteroffer, unions say
FACULTY and staff unions of the University of Asia & Pacific (UA&P) on Tuesday said that the university’s management has failed to provide a genuine counteroffer during a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiation.
In a joint statement, the UA&P Union of Faculty Members (UA&PUFM) and the UA&P Union of Allied Employees (UA&PUAE) said that the university’s management has not provided any counteroffer to their demands.
“We want to go back to plant-level CBA negotiations. But it would be futile to return if management’s position will still be to reiterate the same non-offer they echoed during our past CBA negotiations,” Ferdinand D. Delos Reyes, president of the UA&PUFM said.
“To be clear, retaining the status quo is a non-offer. I don’t think majority of rank-and-file employees will vote to accredit our unions as bargaining agents if they are happy with the status quo,” he added.
UA&P was contacted by e-mail for comment but has not replied at the deadline.
In early-August, the two unions had filed a notice to strike, following a bargaining deadlock with the UA&P management.
The deadlock had centered on priority economic provisions and the suspension of a policy requiring faculty to work onsite for 5.5 days each week.
The groups had sought salary increases, the revision of salary and promotions structure, inclusion of employee dependents in health management organization (HMO) coverage, provision of food allowance, medical cash allowance, educational benefit for employee dependents, and union signing bonus.
Both unions are set to have their next mediation conference with UA&P Management on Sept. 5. — Adrian H. Halili
